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AfricaRepatriation to Nigeria and repatriation to Germany
Many Nigerian families in Germany wish to bury their relatives in their home town, often in the village of their ancestors. We organise the repatriation in a coffin or urn by air to Lagos or Abuja and also bring the deceased back from Nigeria to Germany.
Rudolf Nordheimer and team – in German, Russian or English.
Nigeria at a glance
- Transport route
- Air freight; Lufthansa serves Lagos and Abuja from Frankfurt (nonstop or with a stopover, depending on the flight schedule)
- Flight connection
- From Frankfurt; we check the connection and freight capacity before every booking
- Destination airports
- Lagos (LOS), Abuja (ABV), Port Harcourt (PHC)
- Certificates
- no apostille (Nigeria is not a contracting state); German legalisation of Nigerian documents suspended since 2000
- Agreements
- neither the Berlin Agreement of 1937 nor the Council of Europe Agreement of 1973
- Representation in Germany
- Embassy in Berlin; Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main (responsible for NRW, Hesse, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, among others)
Repatriation from Germany to Nigeria
Repatriation to Nigeria is by air freight. Lufthansa serves Lagos and Abuja from Frankfurt, nonstop or with a stopover depending on the flight schedule. The coffin travels in the cargo hold, and the family can – depending on availability – fly on the same aircraft. Which airport makes sense depends on the home town: Lagos for the south-west, Abuja for central and northern Nigeria, Port Harcourt as a destination in the south.
Before departure, you need the consent of the Nigerian mission. For this, Nigerian consulates typically require a death certificate, proof that the deceased did not suffer from a communicable disease, an embalming certificate, confirmation of a hermetically sealed metal coffin, the Nigerian passport and the name and address of the recipient in Nigeria. In addition, a clearance ("Waiver for the Repatriation of Corpse") is required from the Port Health Services of the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja. The competent office is the embassy in Berlin or – for deceased persons from NRW, Hesse, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate – the Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main. We request the exact list from the competent office before every order.
After landing, a funeral director or the family receives the coffin at the airport. The German Federal Foreign Office advises against travel to numerous states and warns against overland journeys after dark (as of October 2026). You should therefore plan the onward journey to the home town carefully; we coordinate the arrival time and handover with your relatives on site.
- Death certificatefrom the German civil registry office, in international or English format
- Body passportfrom the competent authority at the place of death
- Certificate of freedom from infectious diseasesissued by a doctor or public health officer
- Proof of embalming and coffiningConfirmation of preparation and of the soldered metal coffin
- Letter from the Nigerian missionConsent to the repatriation (Berlin or Frankfurt am Main)
- Port Health clearance"Waiver for the Repatriation of Corpse" from the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja
Death in Nigeria – repatriation to Germany
If a relative dies in Nigeria, the death is registered with the National Population Commission (NPC), which records deaths; the Nigerian death certificate is obtained there by the family or the local funeral director, or via the hospital. If the cause of death is unclear, the police are involved, which can delay the release.
The German Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos can advise, name local funeral directors and issue documents for the repatriation, such as a body passport (Leichenpass). The costs are borne by the relatives; the German Federal Foreign Office cannot advance them. We coordinate with a local funeral director in Nigeria and organise the air freight to Frankfurt and the onward transport to the cemetery in Germany.
Important for later registration in Germany: since May 2000, German missions abroad no longer legalise Nigerian documents. Instead, German authorities can request a document verification by the Consulate General in Lagos, which can take several months. Subsequent registration of the death is handled by the civil registry office (Standesamt) at the last place of residence.
- Death CertificateNigerian death certificate, registered with the National Population Commission
- Medical certificateon the cause of death and freedom from infectious disease
- Body passportvia the German Embassy in Abuja or the Consulate General in Lagos
- Passport of the deceasedfor export and for registration in Germany
Good to know: funeral customs and particularities in Nigeria
In many Nigerian families, burial in the ancestral village is considered a duty. Among the Igbo, even people who have lived in the city for a long time are usually buried in their home village, often on the family's land. Preparing large funeral ceremonies can take weeks or months; during this time the deceased remains in a mortuary. A repatriation from Germany can therefore be aligned well with the family's chosen date.
Decisions about the place and time are usually made jointly by the extended family. On request, we also speak directly with relatives in Nigeria in English. Most documents are in English, so a translation is usually not needed for the Nigerian side. For a burial in Germany we offer the same support: we bring the deceased home from Nigeria, take care of the paperwork and accompany the family all the way to the cemetery here.
Urn transfer to Nigeria
An urn is easier to transport than a coffin and, depending on the airline, can travel as cargo or in luggage. The Nigerian consular lists we were able to consult refer only to coffins; we clarify before the journey which documents the embassy in Berlin or the Consulate General in Frankfurt requires for an urn. In any case, the death certificate and cremation certificate must be carried, and the urn should be securely sealed.
More about urn transferFixed price for repatriation to Nigeria
Tell us where the deceased is now. We check what Nigeria requires and send you a written fixed price – free of charge and without obligation.
- Free and without obligation
- Written fixed price, no extra charges later
- Your data stays with us
- Request
- –
- Urgency
- Immediately
- Contact
- Phone call
Your enquiry goes directly to Rudolf Nordheimer. You will receive a written fixed price.
Frequently asked questions about Nigeria
Your question isn’t here? Call us – we will answer right away.
All questionsHow long does repatriation to Nigeria take?
The flight itself is the shortest part. Most of the time goes into preparation: the body passport (Leichenpass), consent from the Nigerian mission and clearance from the Port Health Services. We cannot promise a fixed duration, but after checking the documents we will give you a realistic timeline.
Is the Nigerian embassy in Berlin or the consulate in Frankfurt responsible?
According to the German Federal Foreign Office, the Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main is responsible for Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. For the other federal states, please contact the embassy in Berlin. We handle the coordination for you.
Do I need an apostille for documents from Nigeria?
No. Nigeria is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. Since 2000, German missions no longer legalise Nigerian documents either. Instead, German authorities can arrange a document verification by the Consulate General in Lagos.
Do you fly to Lagos or to Abuja?
That depends on the home town. For Lagos, Ogun or Oyo, Lagos is the obvious choice; for central and northern Nigeria, Abuja is more suitable. Lufthansa serves both cities from Frankfurt. Because of the security situation on many overland routes, we plan the handover at the airport carefully with your family.
My father died while visiting Nigeria. How will he be brought back to Germany?
A Nigerian funeral director prepares the deceased and the family obtains the death certificate. The German Embassy in Abuja or the Consulate General in Lagos can issue the documents for the repatriation. Together with the local funeral director, we coordinate the air freight to Frankfurt and the burial in Germany.
Sources: German Federal Foreign Office: Nigeria – travel and safety advice (as of 07.10.2026) · German Federal Foreign Office: Nigerian missions in Germany · Consulate General Lagos: information sheet on document verification via administrative assistance (May 2025) · German Federal Foreign Office: Legalisation of documents – countries where legalisation has been suspended · Consulate General of Nigeria Atlanta: Requirements for Shipping Human Remains to Nigeria · German Federal Foreign Office: Consular assistance in the event of death · Lufthansa: Flights Abuja–Frankfurt · Catholics & Cultures: Nigerian Catholic funerals
Information provided without guarantee, as of 10/2026. Requirements of authorities and airlines change; we check them for each case.
We are here for you now
Day and night, including weekends. One call is all it takes to get the repatriation under way.